Education creates foundation for future

I graduated from Chillicothe High School in 1989, after 13 years of education in the public school system in Chillicothe. A lot has happened in the past 24 years to contribute to my ongoing learning in both my personal and professional life, but I would argue my foundational years within the Chillicothe school system (surrounded by a strong community), helped shape the person I am today.

I moved on to graduate from Ohio University with Bachelor of Science in communication and then graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a master's degree in clinical social work specializing in geriatrics and mental health. After almost 20 years in the health care industry, I'm fortunate to work as a general manager for a multinational healthcare company where I have had the opportunity to work in U.S. and global roles residing in several cities in the U.S. and abroad in Hong Kong and now Denmark. I'm happy to go to work every day, as I know my work translates into patients receiving novel therapies for life threatening diseases as a result of our work.

I often visit home, as my family of four generations resides in Chillicothe and continues to grow. In a recent visit, I became aware of the Chillicothe School Levy to be voted on in May and had the opportunity to speak with several community members about the importance of supporting the levy. To learn about the cuts over the past few years equaling over $6 million and the risk of losing approximately $1.5 million additional in an already tightly staffed and under resourced school system is devastating news. The first thought that came to my mind was, "What has changed our priorities in the last 20-plus years?"

As a person who often speaks to others about our unique community, I was surprised to hear about the financial state of our school system and more importantly concerned about the future effect for the children who deserve the same educational opportunities we benefited from over the years. We have an obligation to ensure our children are armed with knowledge and the fundamental skills to be successful future citizens and leaders. This community has a long history of prosperity, which can only be preserved by continuous investment into the future.

Who knows where my next move will take me? This is an unknown for now, but I do knowI'll continue to come back home to be connected to my family and community who helped me build a strong foundation for my future. I hope the community supports this need to pass the Chillicothe school levy, for the future of our children and community.

Janet Friedman Makepeace

Hellerup, Denmark

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Education creates foundation for future

To the Editor: I graduated from Chillicothe High School in 1989, after 13 years of education in the public school system in Chillicothe.